Global Village Activity

Along with showcasing the American cuisine, the Global Village organizers also asked us to come up with Ameican past-times that we could show other students. Of course a dance is the most obvious and easy way to pass along cultural activities, so one of the Americans yesterday during break was teaching people the cupid shuffle. I'm not exactly sure what it is, but I'm told it is the new version of the Electric Slide. I'm sure it was amusing, but the French love to dance, (everyone, guys just as much as girls) so I'm sure there were willing participators. For tonight's Global Village, someone is going to teach some country line dancing. Once again, I'm not a country line dancer, and not sure if I'll be participating, but it should be an interesting proposition.
One of the parts of tonights festivities that I'm not so keen on is that some of the American students thought that teaching students from other countries how to play beer pong (with water of course) would be a good representation of an American pasttime. Now let me give you some back story on why I don't think this is such a great idea. Last Thursday night I was out at a party hosted by one of the school groups. We started talking to a student that attended school in the US and he started asking us how we liked France and the parties. As he was visibly intoxicated and holding a drink in each hand, he then started telling us that in his opinion Americans only drink to get drunk and don't know how to have just a social drink. Four points to be made here.
1. I drank a glass of wine with dinner that night, but other than that hadn't had anything else and didn't have a drink in my hand. My roommate didn't have a beer in her hand either. Yet we were surrounded by pretty intoxicated and wild French students.
2. As I told him, his only experience in America was at a large university where yes, lots of times people drink to get drunk, but that isn't exactly an accurate representation of every drinker in the country.
3. I have seen multiple French students get absolutely ridiculous on Thrusday nights and stay out til 4 am and not make it to class until 10, if at all.
4. Sadly, his opinion on the perception of Americans is one I have heard quite a few times while over here.
So, when beer pong came up as an idea for the cultural activity at the Global Village I didn't exactly think it was a smart idea, or a good representation of our culture. We have so much else to offer, and so much other interesting stuff, but I'm not in charge of the whole thing, so I'll voice my opinion and probably leave the gathering, and remember that the stereotype wouldn't change anyway.
UPDATE: No flip cup...there wasn't room.